Device for tightening auto wheels



July 15 1924.

R. c. VAN EMON DEVICE FOR TIGHTENING AUTO WHEELS Filed A112. 6, 1923 IN V EN TOR. Ra 1 V'ozn Em on TORNEY ECE.

any c. VAN EMQN, or ronrnnvrmn, oer-momma DEVICE r011, TIGHTENING AUTO WHEELS,

Application filed August 6, 192's. Serial No. 656,107.

To'aZZ whom itmag concern: f I

Be it known thatI, RA) 0. VAN EMON, a citizen of the United States,-residing at Porterville, county of Tulare, State of California, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Devices for Tightening Auto WVheels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in spoke-tightening devices of that type which are substantially made in the form of a washer, and are adapted to be inserted between the felly and spokes of a wheel and surround the spoke-tenons, when undue looseness and play is had between the felly and spokes due to shrinkage of the latter.

My tightener is particularly intended for use on wheels having steel fellies, the prin cipal objects of my invention being to pro vide a device of this character which when once properly placed and secured can not come off, and which will provide a bearing surface all around the spoke.

A "further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the main and complementary members respectively of my tightener.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the complementary member as initially placed in the main member.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the complementary member clinched in place.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the main member, preferably of circular outline and flat, having a central orifice 2 adapted to receive the tenon of a spoke therein and having an opening 3 leading therefrom to the outer periphery of the member, the sides of said opening converging slightly from their inner to their outer ends. The width of the opening atits narrowest point is of course suflicient to enable the tenon to pass therethrough and into the central orific 'Adapt'edto wedge into the opening-3 is the complementary member 4 whose inner edge is curved as at 5 on an arc the same as that of the orifice 2 so as to make a complete circle therewith when in place in said opening.

At the sides of the opening 3 at its outer ends are relatively small and flexible lugs 6 in the same plane as the body 1, the inner edges of said lugs, when the device is stamped or otherwise made, being preferably straight continuations of the sides of the opening 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The'side edges of the member 4, a certain distance from and to their outer terminations, slope together somewhat abruptly as shown at 7, the inner terminations of these sloping edges, when the member 4 is in position, lying considerably inwardly of the outer ends of the lugs 6, as shown in Fig. 3.

It will thus be seen that spaces between the lugs and the member 4 are then had, enabling the lugs to be bent or clinched inwardly into these spaces until they abut against said sloping edges, as shown in Fig. 4, thus of course positively preventing the member 4 from being slid out of the opening 3 without breaking the lugs or again spreading them."

To place the device, the felly and spoke of a wheel are first spread apart by suitable means, and the main member 1 then pressed into position about the spoke-tenon.

The complementary member is then slipped into position in the opening 3, and the lugs then clinched thereabout by means of any suitable tool.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth indetail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spoke tightening device comprising a main member adapted to be placed about the tenon. of a spoke and having an opening leading from the outer periphery to an ori;

fice and through which the tenon passes, a complementary member adapted to be inserted into said opening, and flexible lugs at the outer ends of the opening adapted to be bent inwardly at their outer ends to engage the outer edge of the complementary member when the latter is in position.

2. A spoke tighteningdevice comprising a main member adapted to be placed about the tenon of aspoke and having an openingleading from the outer periphery to an ori- 1 and r u h sk,- t i tee P complementary member adapted to be inserted into said opening, and flexible lugs at the outer ends of the opening, certain of the side edges of said complementary member converging toward each other from a point inwardly of the outer ends of the lugs whereby to leave spaces between said lugs and said member into which the lugs may be bent when the complementary memberis in position in the opening.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

RAY C. VAN EMON. 

